How Theme Can Change my Opinion on a Mechanic in Board Games

Once you’ve spent enough time in the board game space, you begin to learn words related to mechanics, and begin to develop your own preferences. When analyzing games for your gaming group, it’s always good to keep those preferences in mind. One player might love worker placement games, another deck building games, and another may enjoy trick taking experiences. I have my own preferences too, and trick taking has always been near the bottom of my preferred mechanics to play. Until this month, that is. With the release of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Trick Taking Game, I’ve decided, before I have even played, that I’m coming around to Trick Taking experiences.

No, I’m not about to go on a trick taking game buying extravaganza, and it’s likely I will still hate trick taking games after playing this one. But something about a “campaign” style game with Lord of the Rings is drawing me in. See, I love Lord of the Rings. I love cooperative games. I love games that incorporate story, whether brand new or based on books or movies. And so somehow, someway, a trick taking game is one of my most anticipated games of 2025.

Keep in mind that I said I anticipated. I have not played this trick taking game yet, and perhaps after I do, I won’t like it. But it’s Lord of the Rings, and I don’t think there has been a game that landed on my table here at home that I have not enjoyed with a Lord of the Rings theme. This stretches from War of the Ring to the Lord of the Rings Adventure Book. All of them are great, and being able to share that passion for Lord of the Rings with my kids has been fantastic.

Either way, I’m really looking forward to when The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Trick Taking Game arrives on my doorstep for review. I’ll be diving into it right away!